microsoft discontinuing Win 8 support same as XP ??????

microsoft discontinuing Win 8 support same as XP ??????

Just left the Installation & Setup forum where i 'think' i read a poster stating that Microsoft will shortly discontinue support for Win 8 (just as they're doing with XP) and one must get 8.1 ASAP to receive security updates, etc.!! ... i hope i am mistaken and didn't toally understand the poster's commment . I'm not thrilled with the idea of doing the 8.1 download because i'm just not computer -savy -. Thought i'd just live with '8' ! just bought my Lenovo and had it set-up today at the store ! please tell me what i read is incorrect !

OK tried to read & understand what was showing - i have two years to upgrade to 8.1.. or stop getting ''service packs' after that - but in lieu of no more 'service packs' (should i not upgrade) does it also mean i will not any more 'security updates, patches, etc. also after two years ? I can't be the only one too timid to try the current update (upgrade?) to 8.1 ... is it just a matter of biting the bullet and trying to download and install it ? Is it possible to case problems and clidk on a wrong popup and damage the download or install ? Since my computer is brand-new without any of my own saved files or folders, (other than an AOL email account) would that fact mean the download & install of 8.1 would be 'cleaner' and less likely to 'abort' ? thanks
PS: should i have not gotten a computer w/o win 8.1 installed by the mfg (which are now available but at a considerably higher price -just got mine on sale and maybe the sale was based on it's not having Win 8.1 but just Win 8??? - Lenovo PC thanks again !

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Yes and just went to site suggest in other reply - i looked at 'life-cycle' time-terms and frankly understand little of it - Is it true that Win 8 is just approaching 2 yrs of age? so anyone recently buying a Win 8-only computer made a mistake? I got a very good price for a Lenovo PC but what good is that if Win.8 is going to die-out? thanks for your inpute ! bottom line i'm worried about attempting the upgrade on my own !! unless it's not really that difficult - edythe

After 2 years MS will only offer security updates to 8 and not any other updates that fix or improve the system. There is talk of a 8.1 Update in the spring and 8.2 at the end of the year. After 8.2 comes out MS will support 8.1 for 2 more years. If you decide to upgrade to 8.1 use Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download to do an image of your system. Then if something goes wrong with the upgrade it will only take about 15min to restore you system to 8. There are many Tutorials on this forum and plenty of help to guide you through the upgrade. I did my home built system and only had one small program that needed an update after the upgrade.

You could consider upgrading to win7. Unless you have 8.0 PRO, you will need to buy win7 to do that. Well worth it.

Originally Posted by edythe

Originally Posted by Phone Man

You have 2 years to update to 8.1.

Jim

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Yes and just went to site suggest in other reply - i looked at 'life-cycle' time-terms and frankly understand little of it - Is it true that Win 8 is just approaching 2 yrs of age? so anyone recently buying a Win 8-only computer made a mistake? I got a very good price for a Lenovo PC but what good is that if Win.8 is going to die-out? thanks for your inpute ! bottom line i'm worried about attempting the upgrade on my own !! unless it's not really that difficult - edythe

You could consider upgrading to win7. Unless you have 8.0 PRO, you will need to buy win7 to do that. Well worth it.

Originally Posted by edythe

Originally Posted by Phone Man

You have 2 years to update to 8.1.

Jim

----------------
Yes and just went to site suggest in other reply - i looked at 'life-cycle' time-terms and frankly understand little of it - Is it true that Win 8 is just approaching 2 yrs of age? so anyone recently buying a Win 8-only computer made a mistake? I got a very good price for a Lenovo PC but what good is that if Win.8 is going to die-out? thanks for your inpute ! bottom line i'm worried about attempting the upgrade on my own !! unless it's not really that difficult - edythe

technically that would be a downgrade ,except for people who hate win8

Ever since I got my new pc I have been attempting to contact MS Support in the UK to answer a very simple problem.
I bought Windows Media Center from Arvato GmbH in Germany. Their email address is none functional. When I bought it it fitted into the pc great, then my pc broke.
I have a new pc...

I found this funny, that less than a month after XP support ends and it will never again be patched....Microsoft releases a patch for it.
Read the rest of the story.
Microsoft Patches Latest Internet Explorer Security Flaw ? Even For XP Users | TechCrunch

On April 8, Windows XP's life is coming to an end. On that day, Microsoft will stop issuing security updates to the 12-year-old operating system, and it will end nearly all technical support as well.Microsoft is about to take Windows XP off life support - Jan. 29, 2014

Did I read a post here correctly that like XP, Microsoft will discontinue security updates, etc. & support for Windows 8 and the only thing left to do is ASAP upgrade to 8.1 ??? This upsets me because of non-support/security updates for XP, i just purchased a new Lenovo with 8 installed and...